Thursday, April 14, 2011

That Random Post With Jewelry Photos

This week has been a whirlwind. I'm recovering from migraine-unrelated surgery so days have kind of blended together and my head is still fuzzy. Not from pain killers, though, as they make my headaches worse. So do I feel kicked by a horse? Check. Run over by a truck? Check. Mashed by a lead balloon that fell out of the sky in the middle of a hail storm? Check, check, AND check.

However, laughter is indeed the best medicine. So I giggle and then hold my sides.

I'm looking forward to relaxing this weekend, and I hope that relaxing will include beads. Before surgery, I dug into the deep depths of my bead cabinets to pull together possible combinations for future pieces. There's some neat stuff back there I forgot I had.

There's a difference between designing with a show deadline and designing with other deadlines. When I'm designing for shows, I'm constantly wondering, "Am I making the right thing? Am I on the right track? Is this what they'll really like?". I'm sure most of you feel that way when preparing for a craft show -- the thing you didn't make is the one thing everyone will want.

But preparing for tutorials or Cup of Bead Soup or other blog hops feels ... lighter. Or at the very least, a different sort of stress. I'm pushing myself creatively, rather than thinking with the business side of my brain.

Erin Prais-Hintz recently shared some her favorite blogs and I have to share this one, which isn't really a blog but a collection of web sites -- Lileks.com. I am particularly partial to The Institute of Official Cheer, which includes such gems as The Gallery of Regrettable Food. Regrettable Food showcases vintage cookbooks from the 40's, 50's, and 60's, and boy-o boy, are there some doozies! I'm amazed at how far photography and culinary expertise has advanced, because I do like to eat, and after looking through these gastronomic treasures -- I'd be on a permanent saltine-and-water diet.

And my last thought for the afternoon (I did tell you this was a totally random post, didn't I?) it feels totally weird not to have Tax Day fall on April 15th but on Monday the whatever-it-is. I wish I could earmark the taxes I'm paying toward specific things, like schools, but that's an entirely different blog post.

Paying taxes is a fact of life. If you're in business for yourself, I'd highly recommend (highly, highly, SKY highly recommend) getting a small business accountant. Someone who specializes in small businesses is much more in tune to what deductions you can take, the ways inventory can be calculated, and will have solid tips for how to keep your records in following years. The relatively minor amount of money I pay my guy is worth every single penny ten times over in one, the advice he's given me, and two, the TIME he's saved me.

And the best thing about having an accountant -- if you ever have the bad luck to get audited, your accountant will be right there by your side. But that will never happen to you. Nope. Not you.

Surgery? Are you feeling better I hope? Jewelry is beautiful, taxes are not! I do the taxes all year, weekly monthly and quarterly but then i gather all that and my reports and books and take the end of year stuff to the accountant to figure out. Impossible to keep up with new tax laws! wish i culd get away with how the big corporations do it!

As always, I love reading your blog, even when it's random. And especially today, as I have taken vacation time from my day job, to get my taxes complete by tomorrow and was sooooo happy to see your post, because I forgot that we have until Monday to file(yippee!!!)

Hope you're taking it easy and are feeling better soon. I love the Eiffel Tower earrings!

Hi Miss Lori i'm sorry to hear you are not feeling well but you have fighting spirit that is contagious you just don't let it beat you and thats a good thing, all of your creations are abso fabu i hope you feel well soon take care of yourself ttfn L:)

(And I forgot to say that I'm the same way as you when designing for a show vs for creativities sake! I so enjoy creating because I want to, rather than create something because I have to think about selling it...)

I thought this was supposed to be an easy breezy surgery! Pain is not good no matter where it is located. I'm sorry you've got it again. I liked this post a lot, too. It was fun and interesting. And Lileks... oh the time spent there & not working! What fun!

Feel better soon, make lots of jewelry and fun this weekend and most of all eat some pie! I myself am a firm believer in "food heals" I say this as I am eating Mac n' Cheeseand a rice krispy treat from "Noodles".

lori, please give yourself some time and rest to recover, you are such a hive of activity, girl!Love all your jewelry, especially the pop of red with the eiffel tower. Rest, remember....get well soonJenni

Take care...do what makes you feel good, until you actually feel good! :0)

Gorgeous pieces...I agree, preparing for a show is often difficult...my daughter does all my shows and when she looks at a new piece and says this is awful, I always laugh as I know it will sell that day...always does... :0)Rest & relax...something tells me you don't do enough of resting & relaxing!Cheers